


cloak and dagger

by titaniaeli



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Gen, M/M, Virtual Reality
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-29
Updated: 2014-09-29
Packaged: 2018-02-19 06:18:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 632
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2377955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/titaniaeli/pseuds/titaniaeli
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>a drabble prompt on tumblr; virtual reality au.</p>
    </blockquote>





	cloak and dagger

**Author's Note:**

> a drabble prompt on tumblr; virtual reality au.

He crept behind the wall, clutching his rifle close to his chest. He could hear his heartbeat in his ears, swift and loud like the beat of a hummingbird’s wings. Sweat slowly dripped down the side of his head as he silently waited. Half of his team was down and incapacitated. It was up to him now to take down the opposing side’s captain.

 A loud gunshot echoed in the empty corridor and his brother’s yelp had him scrambling out of his cover in panic.

 Too late.

He was staring down the barrel of the gun, the opposing captain standing before him. He caught a glimpse of a wide smirk behind a painted face before a deafening bang caused his world to go white.

Ace cursed angrily as he ripped off the headset and VR glasses, nearly knocking down his laptop beside him.

 "It’s all your fault.” He accused his brother. Luffy pouted at him, fiddling with his own VR glasses in his hands. He looked down, mumbling a sulky ‘sorry’.

 Huffing, he turned back to his laptop and opened the chat box.

 

 **thebluegentleman:** so you lost again. this has to be my 14th win.

 

 **firefist:** shut up it’s only your 13th! i’m gonna beat you one day

 

 **thebluegentleman:** i’ll be waiting for that day

 

Ace scowled at the screen in disgust. He could practically sensed the smugness and sarcasm coming from the asshole on the other side of the screen. He met thebluegentleman two months ago on the newest VR game, Cloak and Dagger. He played a soldier, and thebluegentleman played a spy.

He has never once won against thebluegentleman.

It pissed him off. The guy was too smart and witty, and he knew how to coordinate his team-mates’s movements really well. Unlike him…

If it wasn’t Luffy doing something stupid and getting himself killed in a tragically idiotic manner, it was Ace falling into a trap and blowing himself up.

 

 **firefist:** we should meet irl

 

He didn’t realize he had typed that out until he’s staring at his own username on the screen. He blinked in bewilderment, wishing desperately that there’s a rewind button.

What possessed him to type that?

He was just fine playing against thebluegentleman online.

 

 **thebluegentleman:** okay

 

Apparently, he also didn’t realize how much he actually wanted to meet thebluegentleman until he saw his reply and exhaled in relief. Ace was surprised to see the other gamer so willing. After all, everyone played VR games for one reason only. To escape from reality — from the monotony of life.

Breathing out nervously, he set out a time and date before proceeding to argue for the next fifteen minutes over a location.

 

* * *

 

Come the fated day, and he’s starting to regret this. What if thebluegentleman turned out to be a serial killer? Or a kidnapper preying on idiot kids like him?

 …What if he was taken and sold? What if his organs were stolen to sell on the black market? What if —

 "Hey," A voice interrupted his panicking thoughts. Ace jerked out of his reverie and turned around. Standing before him was a smiling young man with dark eyes and wavy blond hair.

 Argh, _blondes._

It wasn’t a secret that Ace has a soft spot for them.

"Firefist, right?" The blonde grinned, and Ace recognized that mischievous smirk instantly. Even amidst a gunfire and explosions, that brazen smirk never failed to falter. The blonde extended a hand, smile wavering slightly at his lack of reaction. "My name is Sabo!"

The blonde’s smile brightened when Ace’s lips slowly curled into a wide grin.

"I’m Portgas D. Ace." He introduced himself, taking Sabo’s hand. "Nice to meet you, thebluegentleman."

The hand in his was warm and callous and Sabo’s eyes glittered as he laughed and Ace might just be smitten already.


End file.
